Lady Dragon thinclads run away with 3-way meet

(1 of )Bill Hoban/Index-Tribune
Jenna Ebert was second and was Sonoma's top-finishing runner in Wednesday's triangular meet in Windsor.

INDEX-TRIBUNE STAFF REPORT

INDEX-TRIBUNE STAFF REPORT | October 5, 2017

The Sonoma cross country girls won a three-way meet Wednesday beating Petaluma and Piner at Foothill Park in Windsor. The boys didn’t fare was well, finishing third.

In the girls meet, Sonoma scored 26 points, Piner was second with 35 and Petaluma was third with 70.

Piner won the boys meet with 21 points, Petaluma was second with 52 and Sonoma was third with 65 points.

This was the first official Sonoma County League meet for the Dragons.

Sonoma runners took second, third, sixth, seventh and eighth. Jenna Ebert finished second in a time of 22:48, Amy Stanfield was third in 23:17.8, Eliza Neeley was sixth in 25:03.7, Malia Cashel was seventh in 25:09, and Aliya Binman was eighth in 25:15. Other runners included Emma Brophy, 11th in 26:06.6; Trinity McGuinness, 12th in 26:07.1; Grace Kiser, 22nd in 28:46.9; and Jasmine Garcia, 23rd in 31:34.3.

“This was a big win for our varsity girls, especially beating an improved Piner team on their home course,” said Coach John Litzenberg. “Jenna Ebert led for much of the race and finished a fairly close second to Piner’s number one girl, who has competed in the cross-country state meet in the past.”

In the boys race, Justin Cox finished fifth in 18:59, Nate Jordan was 12th in 20:51, Mason Phillips was 15th in a time of 21:44.8, Evan Raffaini was 17th in 21:51.2, and Barry Connor was 19th in 22:06.6. Other Sonoma runners included Lucas Marindale, 21st in 24:08.4; and Ryan Henghold, 22nd in 24.21.3.

“The varsity boys finished not too far behind Petaluma, despite not having Liam Sheldon, who is normally in our top five,” Litzenberg said. “Justin Cox had a nice race, finishing in fifth place and breaking 19 minutes on a tough, hilly course.

Litzenberg said the course was 5K in length, with a big hilly loop followed by a shorter hilly loop. The race began with a one-mile climb uphill, followed by a challenging downhill on uneven, rocky terrain.

The thinclads are scheduled to run in the Artichoke Invitational in Half Moon Bay on Saturday. Next Wednesday, they’ll run against Healdsburg and El Molino at the Hoot Owl Creek Winery in Healdsburg.